World champion cowboy Tuf Cooper shines again in San Angelo

Tuf Cooper ties down a calf during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum.(Photo: Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times)Buy Photo

"My dad told me, 'For the rest of your life, you should just save and put back every dollar you ever win in San Angelo,' " the 28-year-old said Saturday after a great performance in the sixth performance of the 86th annual Stock Show & Rodeo. " 'If you do that, you'll have a good retirement.' "

Onboard his trusty horse Topaz, Tuf Cooper tied his calf in 7.0 seconds, coming within two-tenths of a second of the arena record at Foster Communications Coliseum.

"I just had the adrenaline going and I was excited that I had a 7-flat," the Decatur cowboy said. "This is the horse I rode in 2013 to go over the million-dollar mark here in San Angelo and I've been riding her ever since."

Cooper was just 23 years old when he became the youngest cowboy in PRCA history to reach the million-dollar career earnings mark.

San Angelo has always had a special place in Cooper's immediate and extended families.

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Tuf Cooper greets the audience after his run in tie down during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum.(Photo: Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times)

"This town, this area and this county, it's so special, not just to me but to the entire industry," he said. "For my event specifically of tie-down roping, this is home to tie-down roping. This is where the tie-down roping's praised.

"And it's so special to be able to come to San Angelo two or three times a year and be able to compete in these historic arenas at these historic events. This is where all the guys before me have competed at and this is where they made a name for themselves and made a living for their families."

The Decatur cowboy says San Angelo is like a "second home" to him and his family.

"There's so much history with my family between the roping fiesta and the rodeo," he said. "I remember when I was a kid I came here when I was 15 years old."

San Angelo has been very good to his bank account in the years since.

"The money is so good," Cooper said. "The guys on the committee and all the volunteers have done such a good job of creating good purses for us cowboys to come. It attracts the top guys in the world and it attracts every competitor who ever lived to come to this stock show and rodeo."

The current world champion was kicking himself a little bit for getting a "no time" Friday night in San Angelo.

"I've been a little under the weather, but I didn't do a good job blocking that out last night and coming up and executing," Tuf said. "I kind of stayed up a few hours extra last night. I'm still a little bit under the weather today, but you give max effort, no matter what, every time."

Jackson Weishuhn, 6, plays with a rope before the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Kelby Frizzell and Tuf Cooper greet the audience at the start of the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

The San Angelo Ambassadors ride in the arena during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Luke Brown and Jake Long team rope during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Erich Rogers and Cory Petska team rope during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp ride out in team roping during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Bull fighter Clay Heger sits on the fencing during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Timber Moore catches a calf for tie down during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Tuf Cooper throws his rope to catch a calf for tie down during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Tuf Cooper jumps off his horse to catch a calf for tie down during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Tuf Cooper greets the audience after his run in tie down during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

Colby Hill from Del Rio rides the bull "Scrappy" during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

John Young is thrown off the bull "Lonesome You" during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

T.J. Moore rides the bull "Relentless" during the 6th performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Foster Communications Coliseum. Yfat Yossifor, San Angelo Standard-Times

It's been well documented that Cooper overtook his brother-in-law and legendary 13-time world champion Trevor Brazile when he shot to the top of the rankings for the first time this past December at the NFR Finals in Las Vegas.

"It's a dream come true to win the all-around world championship cowboy (title)," Cooper said. "I'm going to continue to do that and continue to win those titles. Trevor's back after it and he's looking good.

"My brother-in-law, we compete against each other every day. It's (like) the MVP of the Super Bowl. You've got guys like Shane Proctor coming out of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) because he'd like to win an all-around world championship. Guys are picking up more events. It's not easy to work two events or three events, but that's what I'm pushing for. I'm trying to develop more events to continue to win these."

Brazile is a 41-year-old who's had an immeasurable effect on Cooper's career that has mirrored his own.

"He's always pushed me to develop more events and not just be a single-event cowboy," Cooper said. "He's taught me how to work so hard at the calf roping and he sees what I put in and I see what he puts in.

"His work ethic is unbelievable. What he demands out of himself thankfully has rubbed off on me and that's probably why we get along so well. We practice together every day and we travel most of the time to the rodeos together."

The world champion tips his hat to Brazile.

"This title that I won last year is every bit his as a mentor and from a coaching standpoint," Cooper said of Brazile, who lives right next to Roy Cooper in Decatur. "I'm not going to say I'm his No. 1 fan. I'm probably his No. 2 or 3. Maybe my sister (Shada Brazile) has me on that. I wouldn't be where I'm at without him."

Cooper says it's a blessing just to be in the Western industry and from a family that's enabled him to chase his dreams.

He finished the conversation by talking about what all he likes about being a pro rodeo cowboy.

"I love so much about it," Cooper said. "To be a competitor and compete against these guys who are so great at what they do. And being able to travel around the whole country and being able to make your own schedule. Every day that I wake up is something that I scheduled myself.

"I'm doing exactly what I want to do every day. I think the thing I like about it the most is the relationship that I have with God because of the Western industry. Us cowboys love the Lord and my family and other guys have shown me that relationship. That's my favorite part."

Cooper's performance during Saturday's matinee session was just one of the highlights of the afternoon.

Steer wrestler Dakota Eldridge, of Elko, Nevada, dazzled the crowd with a blistering time of 3.1 seconds, coming close to the arena record.